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By Dr. B.S. Bains | OPINION |
Perhaps the Kal Yug is ending…
Pondering on Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s divine message on page 470 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib that narrates as follows:
ਨਾਨਕ ਮੇਰੁ ਸਰੀਰ ਕਾ ਇਕੁ ਰਥੁ ਇਕੁ ਰਥਵਾਹੁ॥
ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਫੇਰਿ ਵਟਾਈਅਹਿ ਗੀਆਨੀ ਬੁਝਹਿ ਤਾਹਿ॥
ਸਤਜੁਗਿ ਰਥੁ ਸੰਤੋਖ ਕਾ ਧਰਮੁ ਅਗੈ ਰਥਵਾਹੁ॥
ਤ੍ਰੇਤੈ ਰਥੁ ਜਤੈ ਕਾ ਜੋਰੁ ਅਗੈ ਰਥਵਾਹੁ॥
ਦੁਆਪੁਰਿ ਰਥੁ ਤਪੈ ਕਾ ਸਤੁ ਅਗੈ ਰਥਵਾਹੁ॥
ਕਲਜੁਗਿ ਰਥੁ ਅਗਨਿ ਕਾ ਕੂੜੁ ਅਗੈ ਰਥਵਾਹੁ॥
For Romanize Punjabi readers:
Nanak Merr Sareer Ka Ik Rath ik Ratthwahu.
Yug yug Phir vatayiae. Gyani bhuje tahen.
Sat yug Rath Santokh Ka Dharam agge Ratthwahu.
Traete Rath Jatteh Ka Jorr agge Ratthwahu.
Dwapar Rath.Tappe Ka Satt agge Ratthwahu.
Kal Yug Rath Agan Ka Kood agge Ratthwahu.
Sat Yug, Treta Yug, Dwapar Yug and Kal Yug, are FOUR States of Mind acting as Drivers of this Body, which Guru Ji mentions here as A Chariot. It all depends on what kind of MIND is driving it.
The Yuggas have nothing to do with a specific period in numbers of years.
It’s a phase attributed to the Collective State of Mind. Each respective mind can change its phase (Yuga). This differs from one person to another.
When this sort of change takes place in millions of minds, we call it Collective Consciousness, prevailing and creating its effect either on a particular society or across the universe.
The FOUR phases change its fragments in a cycle. When one phase ends the next begins. Consciously or unconsciously, we may be going through the ending phase of one such cycle and perhaps moving towards the beginning of another.
Guru Nanak narrates “yug yug phir vatayiae….”
Meaning that the PHASES keep taking turns; a brand new era starts after the end of an old era. In this way, this Earth could have witnessed hundreds of such cycles in the past millions of years.
He explains that this soul is set off onto a journey on a Chariot (Our Body) – Ratth, and its Driver (Ratthwahu) is the Mind directing the body.
So…
1. When Sat Yug prevails, the Chariot is of Contentment (Santokh) and the Driver is Righteousness (Dharam).
Elements of Contentment are Serenity, Equanimity, Complacency, Satisfaction and being Pleased.
Elements of Righteousness of Mind are Conscientious, Honourable, Ethical, Law-Abiding, Pure, Spiritual, Transparent, Virtuous, Holy, Godliness,Meritorious, Trustworthy and Dutiful…
2. When Treta Yug prevails, the Chariot is of Moderation (Jatteh) and the Driver is Power (Jorr).
Elements of Moderation are Restrainment, Celibate, Patience, Calmness,Quiey, Dispassionateness and Composed.
Elements of Power are Skill, Capacity, Capability, Influence, Aptitude, Endowment and being Talented.
3. When Dwapar Yug prevails, the Chariot is of Penance (Tappe) and the Driver is Truth (Sat).
Elements of Penance are Self-restriction like self-punishment eg. Fasting, Atonement, Penetance,Repentance,Self-Flagillation (Self torture).
Elements of Truth are Accuracy. Legitimacy, Certainty, Authenticity, Veracity, Gospel and Factuality.
4. When Kal Yug prevails, the Chariot is of Fire (Agaan) and the Driver is falsehood (kood).
Elements of Fire are Heat, Pyre, Devouring, Warfare, Jealousy. Loot, Ingerno, Blaze, Flare, Holocaust, Spark, Distruction, Smoke, Confusion and Darkness.
Elements of Falsehood are Perjury, Shame, Untruthfulness, Fallacy, Distortion, Dishonesty, Deceit, Fakery, Misstatement, Manipulativeness, Fraud, Fictitious, Fib, Pretense and Mendacity
Through these illustrations we can now check our Minds, what is driving our chariot and what kind of a chariot we are carrying in this journey call LIFE.
Imagine when hundreds of us carry similar illustrated attributes, we then fall within the community of a certain Consciousness. The collective sum creates a specific environment for us. The effect of the environment then determines our psychic, economic and physical state. When the similar consciousness prevails across the planet, then we are bound to face an inevitable mass adjustment.
Perhaps the coronavirus pandemic is doing something good to mankind or is a cycle taking another turn? Are we going into a new collective consciousness of Sat Yugga?
We need to reflect! Guru Nanak Dev Ji has made this very clear some 550 years ago the Yuggas move in cycles. Do those lines narrated in the beginning directed to this present situation we are facing globally?
Dr Balwant Singh Bains is a Malaysia-based kirtan enthusiast and a practicing physiotherapist with a chain of physiotherapy clinics.
RELATED STORY:
Cruelty on Sikh society (Asia Samachar, 21 March 2020)
Guru Nanak’s 3 basic teachings (Asia Samachar, 7 Nov 2019)
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